New Jersey DEP failed Trenton by not pressuring Water Works
A state agency charged with oversight of water service to approximately 225,000 homes in Mercer County threatened a lawsuit against City of Trenton utility Trenton Water Works.
“There is legal action that is locked and loaded,” said Rob Geist, a DEP spokesman. “However, in the waning days of this administration, it was felt it should be left in the hands of the incoming administration.”
This does not sound like an emergency if state officials were willing to wait for Trenton to deliver an adequate response and action.
If Geist had real concern about contaminated water falling out of spigots, shower heads and hoses then he should have acted immediately. If his agency had powers to put Trenton in check then having to pass the ball to his successor should have occurred.
Lives or healthy lifestyles were at stake, long-term effects could produce serious issues and Geist decided to wait? Water turned purple. Trenton delayed or fail to notify customers about water issues as the DEP, mayors and others offered no public statements.
Geist noted that the DEP “(has) been dealing with this since 2014 and these troubles have gone on for more than a decade. They’re simply understaffed, won’t hire the right people, can’t get emergency contracts done, can’t get full-time contracts done. This isn’t a situation of not having time, this is a situation of not being willing to move forward for whatever reason.”
So, with the City of Trenton showing dysfunction and an inability to deliver clean water, DEP officials failed to take serious action. With admissions and emails like this, citizens should hope for a lawsuit in order to view every communication between DEP officials and local mayors.
Let’s observe another email penned by DEP Chief Bob Martin. A colleague referenced “strongly worded” this Martin missive.
“The City’s inability or unwillingness to act with the urgency the current situation requires potentially puts at risk the health of the 225,000 people TWW serves in the City of Trenton, and in Ewing, Hamilton, Lawrence and Hopewell townships.”
Martin demanded Trenton officials hire a private firm to run Trenton Water Works with a deadline set for November 30, following reports that a water filter failed to operate from September 25 to November 2.
Martin greeted Jackson with “I am writing once again, regarding the City’s continued failure to take the steps necessary at Trenton Water Works (TWW), which I outlined to you in my letter of October 30, 2017 and in several telephone conversations as recently as last week.”
This paragraph speaks volumes about the DEP’s inability to take action during an emergency. Lives were at risk and Martin failed to launch any legal action to assure that those 225,000 customers received safe water.
Martin should admit that his eyes focused on the door as his employment ended. If the DEP had initiated a lawsuit then his retirement time would be compromised by legal briefs and court appearances.
Florida or whatever warmer climate and activities should not be interrupted by a deposition.
Of course, Eric Jackson deserves partial responsibility for this waterloo as his sluggish reaction to this emergency should cause concern and question his ability to lead.
Water remains crucial to our existence. Access to safe, clean water represents a human right as well as existing on city streets without violence, gangbangers and garbage.
In all of these comments about water and historical rewrites about what people did or did not do, let’s not forget that all hires made by the City of Trenton needed approval by the Gov. Chris Christie administration. In fact, Christie owned the power to impact most city actions including the purchase of one-ply toilet tissue.
The state’s Department of Community Affairs owns oversight in the city’s hiring and firing decisions as part of its transitional aid agreement, allowing Trenton to receive almost $20 million in state aid.
In fact, Merkle Cherry, a former city recreation director fired by former Mayor Douglas Palmer, received a state blessing for employment as public works director which runs the Trenton Water Works.
Yes, come on Gov. Phil Murphy and new DEP chief Catherine McCabe. Let’s have this fantastic showdown that releases every scintilla of information about how this Trenton Water Works operated.
We witness the great political exercise known as covering one’s buttocks as questions surface about what people knew, when they knew and what they did about it.
With “shithole countries” an alleged slur offered by President Donald Trump regarding Haiti, El Salvador and several African nations remains a news fixture, one saying remains ultimately clear— crap runs downhill.
Open the floodgates.